Littler’s eye-watering charity contribution as darts sensation leads way
Luke Littler's incredible 29 maximums at the PDC World Championships have helped Paddy Power to smash through the £750,000 mark for their donation to Prostate Cancer.
The bookmaker has pledged to donate £1,000 every time a player hits a 180 in the darts tournament at Ally Pally as part of their 'Big 180' initiative. The money will be used to research the deadly disease in the hopes of one day finding a cure.
After the final round of last-16 matches on Saturday, the total raised now stands at an astonishing £751,000. A massive 750 maximums have been thrown so far, with three more days of action still remaining before the new winner of the Sid Waddell Trophy is crowned.
Wonderkid Littler booked his place in the quarter-finals with a stunning win over former world champion Raymond van Barneveld. The 16-year-old demolished the Dutchman to claim a dominant 4-1 win in their last-16 tie.
Littler hit nine 180s in the course of his victory, taking him to 29 for the tournament. That means 'The Nuke' sits at the top of Paddy Power's Ballon d'Art leaderboard, with Damon Heta second with 27, though the Australian was knocked out by Scott Williams on Saturday.
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Williams sits in fifth with 25 as he prepares for his quarter-final clash against superstar Michael van Gerwen. It is hoped that the donations can hit £1million or at least beat the 901 maximums scored last year.
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Luke Littler has hit the most 180s of this year's PDC World Championships (Tom Dulat/Getty Images)Littler meanwhile, is now just three wins away from winning the world championship in his debut year. He faces Brendan Dolan in the last-eight on Monday, with a semi-final against Rob Cross or Chris Dobey next up.
Rather than getting carried away though, Littler is keeping his focus on his clash with Dolan. The 16-year-old has admitted that he is beginning to believe he can complete a miraculous tournament win.
"Unbelievable! My average has shown it, my double percentage has shown it - I don't know what to say! He (Van Barneveld) said 'you can go all the way, I hope you can go all the way'. I said 'thank you' - he's a true gentleman and I respect Raymond," he told Sky Sports.
"I fancy myself [to win the whole thing], I do fancy myself! Let's just focus on Brendan. It's incredible beating one of my idols on the biggest stage of all, I still can't believe it. I think I am daring to dream now, I have seen the draw.
"I'm so young, only 16 and I have got nothing to fear, I have got no one to fear, my game can be better than anyone's on the day and I have shown it there against one of the greatest to have graced that stage.
"With performances like that I can go all the way. I've pictured myself winning it. I look at the draw and see Brendan next and then Chris Dobey against Rob Cross in the other quarter. I fancy myself. I do fancy myself."
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